Poppa and Me

I have the best dad in the whole world! I'm sure many of you think that but I really do. Maybe PJ has a close competitor but man, is my Dad awesome! I wish I could describe to you the weekend that we just had. here's my attempt: never mind, I don't have time to write a story. Here are some highlights:

He flew out on Friday morning and arrived here in Minneapolis at 6 in the morning. I was up at five and slept at three because I was so excited for his coming. It was freezing cold when he got here and as soon he stepped out of the airport he rushed back inside. It was about 28 degrees at the time.


We walked around the sculpture garden...
Yes, its a giant spoon with a cherry on it.

My Daddy cooked Adobo for me...
He also cooked breakfast on Sunday and Monday morning. He would wake me up, "Yek, eat. The food is ready." I can't tell you how awesome that is to have again. I cleaned up and put all the dishes in the sink and started to get ready for church and when I got out of the shower he was washing the dishes.

I miss my Dad so much already. During Greek class I started to get teary-eyed because I was thinking I'm losing my family again. The teary eyes became a waterfall when I had to walk away from the terminal. It was time for him to get on the plane and I lost it. We were praying and I started crying and then he prayed and then he started crying. When he said in his shaky voice "I love you, son" I was ready to buy a ticket and come home. I turned back as I was walking away and saw him still watching me walk and I started to feel the loneliness again. It was if someone hit the reset button and I had to start all over again in dealing with the loneliness. I sat in the car and cried so hard. I just started praying and thanking God for the grace.

I praise God for my dad! My dad does a great job of displaying the love of God to his children. When I hurt, I know my dad hurts and when I cried, he cried. I can't wait to see him again. This was definitely an unforgettable weekend for me because God revealed to me that he has blessed me so much with a family like mine and a leader of the family who loves me with the love of Christ. I love my Dad.

Nothing New...

Wake up,
Study,
Work,
I come home,
cook,
wash dishes,
chill,
read/study,
sleep.


Then I do it again the next day.

What the...?

Ok. Most of you guys know me well. When everyone is freezing, I'm good. When everyone is good, I'm burning up with my sleeves rolled up. Over here, forget about it! I am freezing my...bunz off. Last night I was walking around downtown wearing a pea coat that Jennifer gave me last year for Christmas and I was dying. My teeth were chattering and I was hugging myself with a scarf wrapped around my face only allowing myself to see through two holes for my eyes. I was walking around like a mummy! I was missing the sunny southern California weather where I only wore the pea coat twice. I miss wearing shorts in the winter time and flip flops on any given day. I layer three blankets on myself when I sleep since I cannot sleep with two. Many of you know that one of them is not really thick but its my security blanket. Please pray for me because I am dying over here. It is easy for me to lose focus and get out of here because I can no longer feel my feet.

I am writing this from home right now because I called in sick today. I cannot breathe through my nose and I possess a horrific cough. I think it had to do with last night and walking around downtown with snot frozen to my cheeks. Please pray that I get better. Thank you.

My Parents are coming...

I am soooo excited! My Mom and Dad are coming out to the cold North Mid-West! My Mom is telling me that she is going to cook Filipino food for me. I miss that so much even though I did not eat it much out there. It was always one call to Grama away. Now Leon and Mikey (Burden) are taking my spot with Grama. I wish I could see all of you and the babies but for now I just look at pictures. 2 more weeks and I see 2 more Filipinos in this sea of White folks. Not that I have a problem with white folks I just like to see some flavor, you know...

venting...

Last night was a normal night. I came home from work, took my shoes off, turned on some Shane and Shane, and started cooking. I ate and I started relaxing on my couch...normal stuff. I talk to my family regularly but this time it was different. Kuya RC and I were talking and all I could here was Xander yelling because he wanted to talk on the phone. I like to think he knows who he is talking to. Kuya said repeatedly "talk to uncle" and he would yell non-sense.

I miss my family. I knew I hadn't gotten rid of this feeling. I miss my family. I love that my Dad calls me every 3 days to see if I am doing okay. He says "I love you, son" after every call. He's so great! Dad, I'm sure you don't read this but if somehow you do get to this know that I love you so much and that I appreciate everything you help me with. I wish I could just hug you right now. Thanks Dad for supporting your sons in our decisions to go to the army, air force, and expensive colleges and ministry. I don't know if you know this but I have grown so much from this time out here and it would not be possible without the your love and support.

For everyone else, thanks for reading my venting...I miss you all too but not as much as my Dad.

Torn

Geneyem sent out an Email saying that we should send letter for a Christian man, Mr. Son, to get out of prison because he scheduled to be executed publicly. I don't know how I feel about it. Maybe it is God's plan for him to be martyred for the cause of Christ, maybe it's not. I don't mean to be crude or seem anti-safety or anything but isn't it an honor to die for Christ? Wouldn't that encourage more saints to go out and be bold for the gospel? For Mr. Son to live is Christ and to die is gain. If he dies...he makes Christ look GLORIOUS!

I'm not sure how I feel. I am praying for what God wills for Mr. Son. I'm sure Mr. Son would want me brothers and sisters to do that.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
- Christ

"Stand"

Are weary from ministry? Are you getting tired? Do you feel heavy laden? I urge you to STAND brothers and sisters in Christ! STAND, all you who believe in the return of the King! STAND.....for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.

We must persevere to the end of our lives if we treasure Christ. We must finish the race strong, fight the good fight, keep the faith. Do not give up bothers and sisters in the faith! Our glorious King will come back and on that day give us rest for the rest of eternity. Do not buy in to the American dream of having the nicest house, the coolest toys, the buffest body. Do you not treasure Christ more than these? The Christian life is marked with suffering all the way until we die. 2 Corinthians 4 says that Paul and Timothy were "slaves" for the brethren at Corinth for Christ's sake. Be slaves that show love for the people you minister to and to those are not saved so that they may see Christ in your lives. Please do not get comfortable in this life here on earth because there will be comfort for the rest of eternity but make your life count for Christ now. DO NOT waste your lives on what the world thinks success is. You do not live by their standards because are not of this world. We are citizens of heaven! We will dance around the throne singing praises to our Savior with our glorified bodies in the streets of gold. Remember, family, that is by the mercies of Christ that we are still here. Ministry is a mercy, we don't deserve it. Your husbands/wives are acts of mercy, you don't deserve it. Life itself is MERCY from the Almighty and Just God from which all mercy flows. WE DO NOT DESERVE IT! We deserve death! All praise to the Merciful God who sent His Son to die for you and I that we may live with Him!

Are you weary? Are you tired? Are you heavy laden? By the grace of GOD we must STAND.